Lesson 6: Questions
Grammar
Yes/no questions: change the intonation
For a yes/no question, the words can stay the same. You may end the question with ia (yes), or um (no).
When you're speaking directly to someone, run is usually unnecessary:
i anvu?
Click to Reveal Translation
*Are you going?*Notice this is the same as i anvu, ia?
CE: “what?”
ce means what?, like que in Romance languages. For example:
ce i mo? / e ce i mo? means what are you eating?
The question word being in the beginning is not mandatory, as the order is flexible:
i mo e ce?
To form other question words, you take ce and then attach the kind of information you are asking for.
Try the pattern before seeing the little table.
DOM means place. What should CE + DOM ask?
Reveal
**cedom** = **where?**Now another one:
LI means time. What should CE + LI ask?
Reveal
**celi** = **when?**The core set is:
| Form | Built from | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ce | — | what? |
| cei | CE + EI person | who? |
| cedom | CE + DOM place | where? |
| celi | CE + LI time | when? |
These four cover most of what you'll need here. The rest of the question family follows the same pattern.
Vocabulary
Building blocks
DOM — place. Mnemonic: domicile; Latin/Romance domus.
LI — time. Mnemonic: lifetime / timeline.
NON — path, way, manner. Mnemonic: moving on and on along a path.
GE — finances. Mnemonic: get / give money.
ILI — cognition. Mnemonic: illuminate an idea; intelligence.
FOU — lack. Mnemonic: few — you need something when you have too little of it.
Words
| Oravia | Meaning | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| gedom | bank | GE finances + DOM place |
| wanon | swim | WA water + NON path |
| ilian | know | ILI cognition + AN action |
| anifou | need | ANI movement toward + FOU lack |
Put it together
From earlier lessons
anvu = go
boemo = cook
mo = eat / food
cedom i anvu?
Click to Reveal Translation
*Where are you going?*i anvu en gedom
Click to Reveal Translation
*I am going to / at the bank.*celi i anvu?
Click to Reveal Translation
*When are you going?*cei i boemo?
Click to Reveal Translation
*Who is cooking?*e ce i anifou?
Click to Reveal Translation
*What do you need?*i ilianum
Click to Reveal Translation
*I do not know.*i wanon
Click to Reveal Translation
*I swim.*Try it with someone
You can ask a real question now:
ce i mo?
cedom i anvu?
celi i anvu?
The Oravia Discord is a good place to try it out. Ask a question or write two sentences about yourself in the Discord, even if you need the dictionary.
Your turn
Ask two direct questions to the reader. Leave out run unless you actually need it.
Mini Review
Quick review: